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It is a harness racing truth that you don’t second guess people in harness racing with the names of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.

If you were a doubter you would not have been after Friday night at Addington.

They produced an incredible training feat to win the 3200m Easter Cup with Turn It Up. Probably Mark can take the credit for concluding after his recent Rangiora trial that he could win a race of that calibre first up in two months. Even in the new age of open class racing where stars rise and fall much faster than they used to it was an extraordinary feat to win his second 3200m G1 at just his 11th start.

Mark never lacked confidence in the move after Rangiora.

“He hasn’t raced for a while but he is a very athletic type and while he wasn’t racing he was doing conditioning work up north before coming down to us so I don’t think it is beyond him”

Admittedly, after Mark used him early to take the lead and then trailed, Turn It Up was stretched to hold out A G White Sox but in a 3.58 and change in a charge through the slush it was still a great effort.

But, to be fair the New Zealand Cup winner, Thefixer, lost no caste in defeat.

He renewed memories of the (good?) old days of handicap racing. Starting from behind the front line means at some stage you have to go around the field. Turn It Up got rid of that early to reach the lead but Spankem and Thefixer weren’t going to manage that .

Thefixer moved around and sat parked then Spankem took over that role so Thefixer would have run about the same time as the winner,

Not to forget Elle Mac went a great race too under the radar perhaps.

The Turn It Up is a fairy story in most respects likely to be a pointer to the 2019 New Zealand Cup. Mark selected him in Australia largely for his treasued friend Neil Pilcher and the ghost of that special man, with the trademark sly grin, surely hovered over Addington on Friday.

It was typical of Mark and Natalie they had handed a share in the horse to Neil’s brother Lee

Credit: Harnesslink Media, 6 Apr 2019, Courtesy of All Stars Stables

“It seems surreal -but its actually real” -that sum up by Mike Woodlock co-owner of One Change with Trevor Casey and All Stars, seemed to sum up the remarkable rise of the two year old with his five for five win in the $170,000 Sires Stakes Final at Addington.

As for Trevor tears came to his eyes as he remembered his long time partner, the late Neil Pilcher, an original owner of the youngster after he was passed in as a yearling for $20,000

Bought post sale by the stable for $30,000, Neil’s share was taken up by All Stars on his death and Mike, a retired teacher at St Andrews College who helps out at All Stars, was offered a share. He had previously raced a horse successfully with “Pilch”.

As chief admirer and handler Ashleigh said “the dream continues” after One Change, looking headed by Flying Even Bettor close to the post kicked back to win.

Natalie had given him the run of the race but said afterward it went “nothing like I expected”

“I didn’t know how much gate speed he had because he hasn’t be used out of the gate previously. But he had it and we got the break.

I wasn’t sure we’d won. Flying Even Bettor, which went a terrific race came back at us and I wasn’t confident at all”

One Change has now won over $200,000 not a bad return on his yearling price.

He now heads to the Jewels and possibly the Breeders Crown in August if all goes well in the interim.

“He’s done nothing wrong and shown he has the early speed as well” Mark said

“Smooth Deal was disappointing and he will come out of the Jewels on that run. He is going backwards when he should be going forward”

His recovery rate raised questions as well, Natalie said later.




Credit: Harnesslink Media, 18 May 2019; courtesy of All Stars Racing Stables

ONE CHANGE: 2 B c Bettor’s Delight – Changedown

OWNERS: Allstars Racing Stables Limited, M R Woodlock, T G Casey

BREEDERS: Rob Carr and Don Kirkbride

TIME: 2:26.3 Mile Rate: 1-58.8 Last 800m: 58.7 Last 400m: 28.2

Rob Carr and Don Kirkbride hit the jackpot as breeders when they acquired Chokin’s well-performed sister Chaanger as a 12-year-old broodmare and her first foal for them was Changeover.

It was purely a coincidence when Geoff Small bought him at Karaka for $28,000 for an Auckland TC syndicate which Carr was charged with managing, and had the pleasure of watching him win 29 races and over $2.4m.

Those wins included a $1.2m New Zealand Cup in record time, the New Zealand and Northern Derbys and 3YO and 4YO Emeralds at the Jewels.



“Geoff did ask the question whether or not there was going to be a conflict of interest with Rob managing the (ATC Trot 2006) syndicate, but it was put to the then club president Steve Stockman and he gave it the all clear,” recalls Kirkbride.

“It was just a bummer that having been in the two previous syndicates, we opted out of having shares in the third one, although we still had the kick of being the breeders.

”Carr and Kirkbride would breed another 11 foals from Chaanger and five of them won, including good sorts in Change Gear (9 NZ wins, US1.52.8), Change Time (7 NZ wins, 1.56.2) and Change Stride (4 NZ & 21 Aus wins, $316,000, US1.51.6).

The now rising 29-year-old Chaanger was retired a few years ago after producing a staggering 19 foals and she remains in fine fettle in Kirkbride’s care.

“I had 50 acres at Ardmore up until 7-8 years ago, but now I’m down to four acres following a marriage break up.

“Rob had a lovely property at Karaka where we prepared the yearlings, but he moved to Cambridge a couple of years ago and for the last four years the yearlings have been done at Breckon Farms.

“So we have been winding our breeding operation down for one reason or another, but One Change has put a spring in our steps again.

” In the wake of Changeover, many of Chaanger’s foals were sold for good money at Karaka, with Change Stride making $90,000 in 2013.

Carr and Kirkbride would retain two fillies from Chaanger in Changedown, an unraced daughter of Falcon Seelster, and the very last foal in Super Change, a daughter of Mach Three who won a race at Cambridge and was then promptly retired. Super Change is now in foal to Art Major.

Changedown had been tracking in just an average manner, so much so that she had been entered in the Mixed Sale at Karaka this year while in foal to Art Major, before being withdrawn. One could assume that was because Carr and Kirkbridge had got wind of how good her two-year-old son in One Change was going to be, but “funnily enough, that wasn’t the reason at all.

”“Rob had done an exercise on costings and worked out that based on an $8000-$10,000 stud fee, the cost of breeding a yearling and getting it to Karaka was between $25,000-$27.000.

“We could do it a lot cheaper when we had our own properties and were preparing them, but that hasn’t been the case in recent times and it costs a lot more up here than in the South Island.

“Changedown’s first five yearlings had been selling for between $42,500 and $17,000 and basically we were just treading water with her.

“But we had to withdraw her from the sale because a foot issue came to light and the long term prognosis is not good.

“I don’t know a lot about the problem but I think it’s called White Line Disease a form of laminitis.

”A lot has changed since that sale of course – One Change is unbeaten in his five races to date and will be 2YO Pacer of the Year having won the Sales race, Sires Stakes and now the 2YO Emerald at the Jewels.

That has been an even bigger change for Carr and Kirkbride, as about six months ago, Mark Purdon mistakenly informed them that One Change had been put down.

“We believed that for about a fortnight then one day Rob rang to say that Mark had got the wrong horse and we might have to rename him Jesus.

”Purdon wasn’t overly impressed with One Change last year, but like a lot of the Bettor’s Delight’s, he has never stopped improving and just refuses to be beaten.

The irony in all this is that Carr and Kirkbridge only reluctantly bred Changedown to Bettor’s Delight and One Change remains her only foal by him during eight seasons at stud.

The service was actually a free return after they lost another mare while in foal to Bettor’s Delight, and Changedown was the best if not the only option for it at the time.

“We were among the first to use Bettor’s Delight, but after four foals by him, two were midgets.

“They were from Chaanger and Dancingonmoonlight and they weren’t any good.

“Changedown was a smallish mare as well and we figured we would be tempting fate with Bettor’s Delight.

“One Change was on the small side and initially he was passed in for 26k.

”Trevor Casey wandered along later however and agreed to take him for the reserve of $30,000 along with Neil Pilcher.

When the latter passed away last year, his share went to the All Stars Stable and part-time stablehand Mike Woodlock, a retired school teacher.

Changedown had been an embryo transfer because Chaanger had gotten to foaling late and one way of getting a mare ‘back on track’ is an ET rather than leaving them empty for a year.

She had failed to measure up in training with Geoff Small and most of her foals were on the small side and not up to much either.

Her first foal in the Christian Cullen filly Schnucki Putzi, which is German for Sweetie Pie, was sold for $18,000 and went unraced.

She is now owned by Dave Kennedy and her first foal is a weanling filly by A Rocknroll Dance.

Second foal Unchanged was a Mach Three filly and she was also on the small side, although Mark Purdon signed for her at $30,000 and she proved a smart juvenile as Renske B.

She was placed at Group 1 level for Hazel van Opzeeland and she has produced a weanling filly by Highview Tommy, himself a smallish son of Bettor’s Delight.

Then came a filly by Rocknroll Hanover in Ready Change, who was bought by Terry Chmiel for $42,500, but who went unraced.

She is now owned by Donna Williamson and the four-year-old was bred to Vincent this season.

Changedown then produced a fourth straight filly in La Vitesse, a daughter of Well Said who was bought by Rob Lawson for $17,000.

She raced eight times here without threatening and was sold to Australia in January, winning a race at Port Pirie last month.

One Change was Changedown’s first colt and he has turned things right around obviously.

It just remains to be seen if he can go on and prove to be a Chokin and Changeover, but one couldn’t ask for anymore at this stage.

Changedown subsequently produced another filly by Somebeachsomewhere, but the filly had to be put down after cracking a stifle as an early yearling.

Carr and Kirkbride now have to decide what to do with a weanling filly by Betting Line called Star Change, a three-quarter sister to One Change.

Normally she would have been run through the sales like the rest of them. Carr and Kirkbride are getting on a bit these days. Kirkbride is leaning towards keeping the filly and Carr is probably going to concur.

“Don might be 74 now but I’m only 67 and I’m still interested in future broodmares,” said Carr after another session at the gym this week.

“I do really rate Betting Line and with the uncertainty surrounding Changedown, we probably should be looking at an insurance policy.”

Credit: Frank Marrion

Neil, who has been in indifferent health for some time, suffered severe back pain late in the week and was removed to hospital on Thursday. The family, including his wife, Rose were summoned on Friday evening and he passed some hours later. His last harness racing runner, Mach Up, had been a winner for Mark at Addington a few hours before. He was 80.



Neil has been closely associated with Mark's training career from the start of it.

"We had been family friends for years. Neil was in Kumeu earlier and transported the horses down south for Roy and Barry and was then in Christchurch so the association continued when I moved south" Mark said.

Neil played a key role in that stage of Mark's career as a backer, advisor and "volunteer" stable hand. In more recent times he was the man finessing the track before fast work at Rolleston and master of the kitchen for staff breaks. But he did a lot more than that. Much more.

He raced any number of successful horses, most notably the $2.5m winner Smolda and his contemporary Fly Like an Eagle as well as outstanding horses like Waikiki Beach (19 wins), Major Mark (12 NZ wins) Follow the Stars (16 wins), Classic Cullen (16 wins) Border Control (18 wins) Ohoka Dallas and Russley Rascal ) to name a few.

But he remembered with affection lesser winners of earlier days in the north of which he told many stories. And his winning tally could have been much higher but for the fact that Neil just loved "the deal" and was always prepared to sell horses for export before they reached their potential. He preferred to race with one or more partners than solo ownership though he did both,

"You always leave something in the horse for the next owner. I have always followed that and if you do it they will come back for more" he used to say and a lifetime of experience in doing deals meant he was a man to listen to.

"He was just a really good bloke and of great support to me in so many ways" Mark said

"Roy and Barry had a horse for him, I think Speedy Demo who started his racing association with our stable. He was a good friend of Peter Wolfenden in those days and Peter Young trained for him as well. He was a regular at the Kumeu track which is where we got to know him well"

"Like everyone else you always expected him to bounce back from a bout of bad health. He had done it so many times"

"It is a sad day for those of us who knew him but you are reassured by the knowledge that Pilch had done so many things in his life that he would have gone having no regrets"

Although Neil realised he was nearing the end of his life it never affected his spirit. He went to the Yearling Sales and spent $120,000 on one lot {"He was one of our owners we couldn't put a limit on !" Mark says) and more recently has invested in several new ventures including the trotter Musculus just two weeks ago in anticipation of another Harness Jewels runner. He had hoped to be at Addington Friday where he had three runners engaged and then head north for Cambridge.

It is a great sadness for Neil Pilcher's family and many friends as well as a host of associates that this time he will not be there.

Credit: NZ Harness News, 19 May 2018, courtesy of The All Stars site

LAZARUS - 2016 NZ CUP WINNER

For almost a decade popular owners Phil and Glenys Kennard have been riding the crest of a hugely successful harness racing wave. But last month they reached their ultimate goal when they owned their first New Zealand Trotting Cup winner in Lazarus. Matt Markham talked to Phil about the successful day in which they also won the Sires' Stakes final and what the game is all about to himself and his wife.

Experience, as it is with anything, is a key factor in any success. To achieve something, you are supposed to first failed at it a number of times. And just when you think you might have failed enough, you should expect to fail a couple more times before reaching the mountain-top. Just ask Phil and Glenys Kennard. They know what it's all about. And only now can they officially talk of what it feels like to overcome all that adversity and get all that luck required to win on the biggest of all the stages.

Their New Zealand Trotting Cup history leading into 2016 was, at best, frustrating - while at the same time it was also exhilarating. They felt well versed in how the biggest harness racing event Down Under can play out. They'd been around the block a few times. Highview Tommy had placed on three occasions. Fly Like An Eagle went awfully close to downing Terror To Love and Smolda produced a herculean effort when the chips were down last year to get within a whisker of Arden Rooney. Plus a host of others too. "Obviously we consider it a great thrill each time we have a horse in the race," Phil said. "But we'd gone close so many times that there was a pretty strong desire to get the monkey off the back and finally taste success in the race."

Enter Lazarus. Mighty by name, even mightier by nature. His first appearance in the lives of the Kennards was somewhat unspectacular. The Bettor's Delight colt out of Bethany had been paraded in front of them prior to the annual Yearling Sales and while he liked what he saw, Kennard wasn't super excited, initially. It was Glenys who fell in love with him first, she had a lot of ticks next to his name in the book," Phil said. "I thought he was a nice individual but it wasn't until I saw him again in the parade ring on Sale Day that I really got interested in him. He had come a long way from when we first saw him. We had settled on our budget for him but ended up going $25,000 more to get him we were that impressed. I always give Trevor Casey a bit of stick about something he said to me after we bought him, he said it was a big call to go as much as we did but then straight after the Cup win, Trevor said to me that it might be the best $25,000 I have ever spent and it's pretty hard to disagree with him."

The Kennard approach to buying horses at the sale has been quite simple. There is nothing special they try and spot in a horse but they are careful of letting the emotions get in the way of a sale. with a firm budget in mind, they try and stick to what they have set out but in the odd case, where they feel it is warranted - a little deeper into the pocket they shall go - case in point Lazarus. "I love the thrill of it all, from when the book first arrives to those first inspections, it's a great thing to be part of. Obviously we rely a lot on Mark and Natalie's judgement and there are a lot of discussions that take place about a horse before we even think about buying it."

"One thing we do try and be really careful about is not getting caught up on breeding. I see it as a big advantage of ours because we will not become engrossed in a family of a horse that we might have had a half-brother or sister to. We have been very lucky in the past few years with what we have purchased and we know that, so never take it for granted."

Buying and racing horses wasn't the early Kennard way though. Initially, they were largely breeders. With a band of just over half a dozen broodmares they were involved, without being heavily invested. The time wasn't there for a serious involvement with Phillip fully entrenched in a successful real estate business and Glenys handling three children - two big roles at completely different ends of the life spectrum.

But there came a time, like there does in most people's lives, where the Kennards decided they wanted more. They had been buying a horse or two at the sales each year and then selling them on. "I remember one morning we were talking and I said that this was bloody ridiculous and within probably 8-12 weeks we had sold all the broodmares."

"At that point in time we were mainly working alongside Michael House, who we got to know through Studholme Park and Brian West, we had got into a couple of the Yonkers Investments and had a bit of fun but we wanted more. We were also getting quite heavily involved in the family of Armalight at the time too and selling up those mares was probably a great decision because other than Barney Rubble who is doing a good job in Australia, the family hasn't been a great success."

It was House who first pointed the Kennards in the direction of Mark Purdon at the Sales one year and that fateful meeting has paved the way for an incredible decade of success, with good horse after good horse littering the pages in between. Despite becoming a firm part of the All Stars furniture, the Kennards have remained good friends with House and enjoyed being able to celebrate Smolda's Grand Curcuit victory in Australia with House who was in attendance.

"Michael is a great guy and I'm pleased to say we still have a great relationship with him and own a horse or two in his stable too." Moonrock, who was one of the three horses the Kennards owned a share of in the Cup this year is with House while they also support young trainer Brad Mowbray when they can with a horse of two as well.

A crowning glory of the Kennards success has been the establishment of their syndicates after purchasing horses at the sales. Incredibly hard to get into due to the success of each one, they are meticulously managed by Glenys who handles all the bookwork - which is made slightly easier by the fact there is generally a success or two every month when it comes time to pay the monthly bills. The groups have been littered with some of racing's most prominent names. Kevin Riseley and Trevor Casey, who of course share in the ownership of Lazarus are there as well as names like Neil Pilcher, Marcus Kirkwood, Phil and Margaret Creighton, Gavin Douglas and a whole heap more. "That all sort of started with Fiery Falcon and then went into Major Mark so we hit the ground running with a bit of success early on there and it thjen led into the likes of Fly Like An Eagle and most recently Ultimate Machete. Kennard said it was as much about the camaraderie as it was the racing side of the business and they had made many lifetime friends from their involvement with horses over the years.

When they re-evaluated where they were heading over a decade ago, there was a firm decision in the type of horse they could buy. Phil had a strict policy of no fillies and trotters were out of the question too. A friendship that has grown with Ken and Karen Breckon has led to that being slightly broken as they are involved in the ownership of brilliant trotting mare High Gait and have also had shares in the talented Prince Fearless who is expected back to the track at some point in the near future.

With more than 30 Group Ones next to their names already, there isn't a lot more left for Phil and Glenys Kennard to achieve. But don't expect that to stop them. They will be at Karaka and then Christchurch early next year with the catalogue in hand looking to find another star and that process is starting to kick into gear already.

"We flew to Australia to attend our first grandchild's first birthday after Cup Week and our flight home was delayed. And as we were sitting in the Airport we were talking about the fact that the catalogue must arrive soon, so it is nearly time to do it all again but that is exciting. I have always said that I stopped paying school fees so I could pay training fees and I don't really feel like stopping anytime soon."

Kennard said that they were lucky their three daughters Amanda, Philippa and Hayley were understanding of their passion for the game and also added that while they were interested, visits to spend time with them were a welcome escape from the demands of harness racing.

"Philippa, who lives in Christchurch, often jokes that she is an orphan because we always seem to be away watching a horse race somewhere. But we are trying to make the most of what we have got while we can, because you can't expect to stay around for ever. We do love getting out and about and watching the horses, wherever they might be racing, Glenys particularly enjoys it. I have always joked that if we had a horse racing somewhere and there was only one seat left on the plane to get there it would be her that would take it."
Hopefully, with that comment in mind, flights will be booked well in advance for the next few months for the pair as they look set to have a few big months with horses racing all around Australasia.

First though, there is a trip to Perth to take in the Inter Dominion action and cheer on their old favourite Smolda, who is over there flying the flag. "I am a bit of a traditionalist and love the three heats then the final format of the Inter Dominions so it is going to be great to get over there and take all that in. We got a real buzz out of the Grand Circuit racing and are looking forward to enjoying a bit more of it over the next few months with the likes of Smolda and Lazarus."

And with a horse like Lazarus in their corner, the Kennards along with their co-owners look set to be in for one most enjoyable ride.


Credit: Matt Markham writing in Harnessed Dec 2016

2013 MUSCARA STANDARDBREDS PROUD SPONSOR NZ DERBY

Border Control got the best of a tight struggle with Bit Of A Legend to win the Muscara Standardbreds Proud Sponsor New Zealand Derby at Addington last Friday night. Given the perfect trip from the prefect draw, Border Control led for nearly a lap before driver Mark Purdon gave it up to Dexter Dunn.

It was a predictable move because Dunn was the one to beat with Bit Of A Legend and there was little doubt he'd hand it up. With the favourite Ohoka Punter having to make ground on them from well back, they were in good shape to run the last lap as Dunn pleased. Ohoka Punter was a safe third and Mossdale Connor came on from three deep to beat Scotlynn Jiggs for fourth.

It was another creditable result for Bettor's Delight, who sired the first four home from five starters, and it was the ninth New Zealand Derby win for Mark Purdon as a driver, following Auckland Reactor, Likmesiah, Jack Cade, Young Rufus, Bogan Fella, The Court Owl, Il Vicolo and Mark Roy. As well, he has co-trained Derby winners, Fly Like An Eagle and Sleepy Tripp.

Border Control is raced bu Phil and Glenys Kennard, Neil Pilcher, Gavin Douglas, Phil and Margaret Creighton and Kevin Riseley, an Australian who took a shine to the horse when he was being sold and asked to be included in the partnership.

The winner of 10 races and a maiden a month or so back, Border Control may well have his next race in Western Australia. Purdon said there was a direct flight to Perth for the race on April 14, and the stake of $250,000 made it worth considering. "He really is the perfect racehorse," said Purdon. "He's got the manners and the travelling won't bother him."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Apr2013

2013 AVON CITY FORD WELCOME STAKES

Mark Purdon was expected to win the Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes with Isaiah, but he won it instead with his unfancied stablemate, Zacharia.

Blair Orange brought the son of Courage Under Fire home with a devastating burst from midfield to swamp a tiring bunch up front that included Isaiah and Regulus who was below his best. Isaiah wasn't, but he had a tough run, wide early, always moving forward without favours, parked, leading in and fading with a punctured tyre. On the other hand, Zacharia was handy but lost his position, which eventually was instrumental in his opportunity to finish with the speed he did.

Zacharia was bought by Neil Pilcher and Trevor Casey for $30,000. Pilcher didn't mind the price, nor the fact others had passed him over because he was so small. "I've had a great run with them - Smolda, Almost A Christian, and we lost him before we saw how good he was, Glengowan and Equaliser. I actually picked him out on the video, and then I was a little disappointed when I saw him, but everything was in proportion, and he's a lovely wee horse."

Driver Blair Orange said he didn't expect to beat the good ones. "What made it for us is that we got one cold shot at them. He's got a great will to win. And he's got high gate speed, and that's something we haven't used as yet." Orange has previously won the race in successive years with Kotare Mach, Highview Tommy and Ohoka Arizona.

Credit: Mikw Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Apr2013

2012 VERO FLYING STAKES

There's seldom a premiere meeting go by when Rolleston harness racing trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne aren't picking up Group 1, 2, or 3 spoils. And that trend continued tonight (Friday March 23) at Addington Raceway when Purdon steered Smolda and Escapee to easy Group 2 and 3 victories respectively.

Smolda trailed his stablemate Fly Like An Eagle (Tony Herlihy) most of the way to win the Group Two $40,000 Vero Flying Stakes for 3yo pacers.

Smolda, a Courage Under Fire gelding, went into the race the winner of seven of his last eight starts including the Group Two Elsu Classic at Alexandra Park on December 16.

In the lane he out-muscled his stablemate (Fly Like An Eagle) to win by three quarters of a length in 2:23.2 (1950m mobile). The winning mile rate was 1:58.1, with final 800m and 400m sprints of 54.6 and 27.3 seconds.

He is now sure to start one of the favourites in next Friday's Group One $150,000 New Zealand Derby.

Smolda is owned by Mrs Glenys and Phil Kennard, Neil Pilcher, M. A. R. Kirkwood - and was bred by P.B. Blackshaw.



Credit: Duane Ranger writing in HarnessLink 23 Mar 2012

2008 FIRST SOVEREIGN TRUST 3YO FLYING STAKES

Ian Dobson and the Met people may as well drop the NZ Derby trophy off to Mark Purdon now. It's near enough to as good as won by Auckland Reactor, and the believers are now well and truly in the majority.

But first, there are formalities to attend to, and that means Auckland Reactor must perform as he did in winning the First Sovereign Trust Flying Stakes at Addington in devastating style last Friday night. His cruel disposal of seven other good 3-year-olds made it crystal-clear that none of then are in his class, or even close to it. He beat Justa Tiger by seven lengths and his stablemate Fiery Falcon by a fraction more. It was a beating of big proportions, and the $200,000 Christian Cullen-sponsored Classic has the look of an open and shut case.

Phillip Kennard, one of the co-owners of Fiery Falcon, put on a brave front by saying how he was looking forward to a better draw and trying to stick within four or five lengths of Auckland Reactor and see what difference that would make. He took comfort in seeing Fiery Falcon finish within eight lengths of Auckland Reactor after perhaps, at best, being 10 lengths from him at one stage. Hope for better might be one thing, but getting it quite another.

While Auckland Reactor looked as fresh at the end as he did at the start, he didn't win the contest without some push and shove. Purdon ran him hard out of the gate, and then Gavin Smith pressed up with Cullen's Legacy to see if the lead was available. He was hard to settle from there and, committed to attack, ran keenly alongside Auckland Reactor for 800 metres, until dropping off and finishing 15 lengths behind. "I had an idea where he might finish up," said Purdon. "After going hard early, and then attacked, I was a bit surprised my horse had as much left as he did," he said.

This was Auckland Reactor's ninth successive win, which puts him in easy reach of equalling and bettering the record of Purdon's previous 3-year-old star Il Vicolo, who won 11 in succession at that age. Auckland Reactor can make it 13, if he wins the Derby, Southern Supremacy Final, the Harness Jewels and a lead-up race to that. Purdon says he's "potentially the best" horse he's had. "When he came down from the north he was just a horse, and well behind the other yearlings at the same stage. I gave him six weeks work, but he was nothing remarkable at the time. There was no pressure on him because he wasn't paid up for anything. I liked him, without there being anything special about him."

When he was back in again at two, Purdon said there was still nothing to mark him out. "We had Fiery Falcon, Ohoka Arizona and Steve McQueen, all nice horse, but they'd also done a lot more. It was not until I'd taken him to a couple of workouts, where he ran second and third, that he started to impress me. Both times I thought he could have gone past the others if I'd asked him to. Off the place, it seemed as if he would step up." And when he qualified "stylishly", he became a "nice" horse, and Purdon then had the Sires' Stakes in the "back of my mind. That was a great performance, winning that, but he is a better horse now."

If Purdon and co-trainer Grant Payne had worries from time to time about his condition, they don't have them now. "He's the biggest eater on the place," Purdon said. "I recently saw a picture of Mach Three (his sire) after he won a race at the same age, and from the neck back you'd say they were identical." Between the Group 2 win of last week and the Group 1 he goes for this week, Auckland Reactor had a solo run on Monday and worked with company on Wednesday. It seems Purdon is cautious with what he does with him. "I could work him hard and he can be a good trackworker."

After Auckland Reactor and Fiery Falcon, the Mach Threes at All Star Stables almost run out. He doesn't have a 2-year-old, and his only yearling is the colt from Russley Friction bought at the Australasian Classic by Neil Pilcher and Bill Grice.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 2Apr08